A record number of Sunshine Coast school students jumped on their bikes for National Ride2School Day this year, with registrations up 42% from 2014.

Mayor Mark Jamieson said Sunshine Coast Council coordinated Ride2School Day registrations for the region.

“We had 1288 students from 40 schools registered this year – almost 90% of those were primary students, but it was great to see some participation from secondary students too,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“That’s probably quite a conservative figure in terms of how many kids actually cycled on March 13 – we counted well over 3000 bikes in the school racks that day.

“Perhaps those extra bikes were for kids who didn’t officially register for Ride2School Day or maybe they just ride any day of the week – either way, it’s great for their health, great for the environment and helps reduce traffic in school zones.

“All up, the registered students travelled more than 3000km to school – many rode from home and others met up closer to the schools to ride as a group.”

Mayor Jamieson said Council supported the event through its TravelSmart program.

“National Ride2School Day is an opportunity to get kids on their bikes and encourage people to leave their cars at home,” Mayor Jamieson said.

“Taking cars off the road and promoting a healthy lifestyle helps achieve the goal of being Australia’s most sustainable region.”

Council awarded three bike shop vouchers and 20 minor prizes to students who registered.